Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigates the safety practices of pilots of regional airlines

A regional commercial airline is in the eye of the hurricane as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating alleged persistent safety issues that result in potentially dangerous situations for passengers on some American Airlines flights.

Last Wednesday, a letter was sent by the FAA to Envoy Air, a U.S. regional airline that handles some American Airlines flights, warning the company of consistent evidence showing a possible lack of aerial skill demonstrated by pilots for Envoy Air flights.

Pointing to numerous instances of pilot error, including one incident in which pilots almost forgot to perform a mandatory checklist before take-off and another in which a flight almost landed on a runway that was potentially too short, the agency warned that a possible trend of poor safety or training practices at the company should be examined.

Last June, an Envoy Air crew attempting to leave Dallas Fort Worth was stopped by a warning from the plane’s computer. When alerted to an incorrect configuration, they realized that they had not actually completed the mandatory checklist to prepare for takeoff.

Envoy Air, for its part, has issued a statement promising that it is working with federal investigators to transparently and collaboratively examine the cause of each potential problem and take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of passengers.